Monthly Archives: May 2014

Post navigation

Once I wondered if my ordinary life would seem more compelling if my story unfolded in comic book panels.

Splashes of bright color might inject some excitement.

Light-and-shadow effects could add a sense of drama.

Sound effects might add some punch.

Some cliff-hanging narration might create suspense, as if something very important, something really significant, is happening with the turn of every page.

I thought maybe, in comic book form, the unfolding narrative of my life might seem more interesting.

But it wasn’t.

Then it occurred to me. The enemy was submitting a lying suggestion and seeking my approval. “Your ordinary life is insignificant. Your boring life is without impact.” The adversary was asking me to join him in his mockery. “Even a fictionalized version of your story would be a meaningless joke.”

He knows the very opposite is true. And so do I.

The reality is that our “ordinary” lives are more dramatic, significant, meaningful and impactful than we can even begin to grasp. Every moment of our “ordinary” lives is loaded with potential for enduring impact. Every hour we are caught up in the great, divine love story. Every day we are engaged in high stakes cosmic warfare.

The real Hero has entered into our stories.

In Him:

Our lives–all our thoughts, words, and actions–matter.

Our stories–every line on every page in every chapter–matter.

In the midst of my ordinary life, even as I was thinking about myself as a comic book hero, something significant was happening right under my nose, but I wasn’t aware of it. But my wife discerned something meaningful was taking place, and she captured the scene in photos.

Someone was carefully watching me, striving to imitate me, engaging me with questions, asking me for supplies, and seeking my approval of his work. When he was finished, my son glued a sign to the bottom of his page that said, “My Dad did this.”

That’s gospel living in a nutshell.

So, this scene from ordinary life was a special occasion for Aaron, and it provided a timely reminder for me. When we fix our attention on the Hero of our stories, everything matters.